Boat anchor



April 18, 1961 w. MURRAY BOAT ANCHOR Filed Feb. 2, 1959 INVENTOR. WILLIAM MURRAY BY h 1" J m i Sud K 2. H. SM

ATTORNEY 2,980,050 BOAT ANCHOR William Murray, 212 NE. 23rd St, Miami, Fla. Filed Feb. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 790,410

7 Claims. 01. 114-208) My invention relates to boat anchors and is directed more specifically to a snag-proof grapple type anchor for use particularly as a fishing anchor for small boats.

In using ordinary anchors for anchoring small pleasure boats above reefs, coral ledges, rocks and the like, it is not uncommon for the anchor to become so caught in a cleft of the rocks or otherwise snagged that no amount of pulling will bring it up without damage. To overcome this difiiculty, various types of anchors the flukes of which collapse in one way or another upon exceeding a predetermined amount of tension on the anchor line have been proposed. Such collapsible anchors as have heretofore been devised, however, because they are too complicated,

insuificiently rugged, and too expensive, have enjoyed only'limited acceptance by the boating public.

It is accordingly the principal object of my invention to provide an improved snag-proof grapple type collapsible anchor of the character described which comprises few and simple parts, which is rugged in structure, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is long-wearing and fool-proof in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages. of my invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a grapple type anchor embodying the invention, with a portion broken away,

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-section of Fig. 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-section of Fig. 2, taken along the line 33 thereof in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a partial bottom view of the anchor, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the anchor shown in collapsed or released condition.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the improved snag-proof grapple embodying my invention is designated generally by the numeral 10, and comprises a body member 11, a pair of flukes 12, a shaft 13 and a chain 14. The body member 11 is fabricated of welded steel and comprises a cylindrical housing portion 15 capped with round discs 16, 17 at each end, each having a circular shaft opening 18 and 19, respectively. Coaxially welded to the housing portion 15 against the disc 16 thereof is a tubular shank portion 20.

The housing portion 15 of the body member 11 is formed with two pairs of diametrically opposed, longitudinal slots 21, 22 and 23, 24, spaced 90 angular degrees from each other. The slots 23, 24 extend all the way to the end disc 17, while the slots 21, 22 terminate a short distance above said end disc. For the purpose hereinafter appearing, the slot 21 is widened at the upper end to provide an enlarged portion 25, and the slot 23 is similarly widened at its upper end to provide an enlarged portion 26.

4 United States. Patent 0 17 of said housing portion to extend for a short distance pairs 21, 22 or 23, 24 for the entire lengths of the slots, whereas the collar portions 28 of said flukes are thickenough so that they will only pass through the enlarged portions 25 and 26 of the respective slots 21 and 23..

The grapple is assembled by first passin'g'one arm 27 of a fluke 12 through the long slots 23, 24, turning it'to, admit the collar portion 28 through the enlarged por tion 26 of the slot 23, and then moving it down to seat ,into the bottom of the housing portion with the arms pointing inwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The second fluke is then similarly inserted through the slots 21, 22

and seated atop the first fluke 12. A centrally-apertured cylindrical collar 30, just thin enough to pass through one or the other of the enlarged portions 25, 26 of the slots 21, 23, respectively, is then placed 'upon the collar; portion 28 of the upper fluke 12. The shaft 13 passes through the axial opening of the tubular shank portion 20 of the body member 11, and thence extends through the shaft opening 18 in the disc 16 of the housing portion 15 of said body member, the central aperture of collar 30, the openings 29 in the collar portions 28 of:

the fiukes 12 and the shaftopening 19 in the end disc beyondthe outer surface of said end disc. A flattened head 31 formed on the outer end of the shaft 13 abuts the outer end of the tubular shank portion 20 of the body member 11 to limit the extent to which said shaft can be inserted in said body member.

Means is provided for releasably securing the shaft 13 in assembled position in the body member 11, the same comprising an annular peripheral groove 33 cut in the projecting end of said shaft and a U-shaped spring clip 34 having opposed arms adapted to resiliently seat into a said groove, thereby normally preventing withdrawal of said shaft by its abutment against the outer surface of the end disc 17. In this position of the shaft, that is, with the spring clip 34 abutting the end disc 17, a set screw 32 provided in the collar 30 is tightened to secure said collar to said shaft against the upper surface of the collar portion 28 of the upper fluke. A flat 38 is preferably provided on the shaft for the set screw 32 to seat against.

The spring clip 34 is secured at a central position along the anchor chain 14, one end of which is linked to the flattened head 31 at the outer end of the shaft 13 by a ring 36, and the other end of which is fitted with a ring 37 adapted to receive the end of an anchor line L.

In use, as illustrated in Fig. 1 a short length of safety line 39 is tied between the chain rings 36 and 37, so that the pull of the anchor line L will normally be transmitted directly to the shaft head 31 through said safety line.

The safety line 39, which will vary in size with the size of the boat, will break at a predetermined tensile load, for example at or 10 0 pounds of anchor line pull. Thus, if the grapple should become caught or snagged and resist all attempts at removal by the use of moderate force applied to the anchor line, enough force can readily be applied to break the safety line 39, whereupon the spring clip 34 can be pulled out to release and allow the shaft 13 to be withdrawn from the flukes 12 to the extent allowed by the collar 30, as illustrated in Fig. 5, whereupon said flukes Will be able to rotate, turn over and rock, and thereby free themselves. It is to be noted that in the released position of the shaft 13 as shown in Fig. 5, said shaft still projects far enough into the housing portion 15 of the body member 11 to prevent the "flakes 12 from separating from the rest of the grapple by Patented Apr. 18, 1961 ,v 5'

presented by way of example only, and not in 'a limiting sense. In short, thei'nve'ntion includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible boat anchor, the combination comprisingpa body member having a hollow housing portion and a tubular shank portion extending from one end of said housing portion, a pair of curved fiukes, slot means in said housing adapted for crossed passage therethrough of said flukes, a pair of openings in the ends of said housing portion and coaxial with the central longitudinal axis of said'tubular shank portion, said fiukes each having collar portions disposed within said hollow housing portion and having central openings, a shaft normally extending with one end through said tubular shank portionrand the openings in said housing portion and said collar portions of said fiukes, and releasable means at said one end ofshaft for preventing withdrawal of said" shaft from said housing portion.

' 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said releasable means comprises a peripheral annular groove in said one end of said shaft and a U-shaped clip resiliently disposed in said groove and in abutting relation with respect to the outer end of said housing portion.

3. .l'heinventionhs defined hielaim 1 includingrmeans for preventing complete withdrawal of said shaft from said housing portion. M

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including a head at the other end of said shaft to limit its free passage through said tubular shank portion.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing portion is cylindrical in form and coaxial with said tubular shank portion, and wherein said slot means comprises two pairs of opposed, longitudinal slots in the wall of said housing portion, one slot pair being angularly spaced by degrees from the other pair.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein one of each of said pairs of slots isformed with a widened portion at its inner end, and'wherein said collar portions of said flukes are thicker than the fluke arms, said widened portions of said slots being wide enough to admit one each of said collar portions of said flukes.

7. The invention as defined in claim 2 including a chain linked at one end to the other end of said shaft and being adapted to be connected to an anchor line at its otherend, said clip beingsecured at an intermediate point along said chain.

References Cited in the fiIe of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,119 McPheeters July 11, 1933 2,540,867 Douglas Feb. 6, 1951 2,841,916 Ueda July a, 1958 

